Combined insect trap and traffic light



April 1, 1941.

L. J. L. RECTOR 2.236.698

COMBINED INSECT TRAP AND TRAFFIC LIGHT Filed May 25, 1940 2 Shets-Shet 1 In uentor [Du/L9 H. E sofa/ A itarr'leys April 1, 1941- L. J. L. RECTOR COMBINED INSECT TRAP AND TRAFFIC LIGHT Filed May 25, 19-10 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venior azz/ s JZ. fie c for A iiorneys Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTBINED INSECT TRAP AND TRAFFIC LIGHT 6 Claims.

My invention relates primarily to traps for catching insects at night and is designed as an improvement over the trap disclosed in my U. S. Letters Patent No, 1,807,550, dated May 26, 1931.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a portable insect trap which may be utilized also as a trafiic, or signal, light in any location where such a light is desired, is of simplifled construction, adapted for ready access to all parts for replacement or repair and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in the succeeding description and defined in the claims appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure l is View in side elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section takenon the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 looking downwardly and drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2, looking in a direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the sack drawn to an enlarged scale, and

Figure 6 is a View of the shield inverted and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Re err ng to the drawings by numerals, in the illustrated embodiment thereof my invention comprises, as its basic element, a column I of any suitable metal, and preferably cylindrical, having open upper and lower ends and short legs 2 suitably secured to the lower end thereof.

A spider 3 is detachably secured, as by bolts 4, to the upper end of the column I, said spider hav ing a circular, upwardly flaring outer edge flange 5, an axial central aperture 6 therein, and crossbars, as at l, traversing said opening and supporting in the center of the opening an upstanding electric light socket 8 for an electric light bulb 9 threaded into the socket in the usual manner.

A globe it, preferably of glass,.is removably mounted on the spider 3, said globe having an opening H in the top thereof and a bottom neck 12 fitting in the opening 6 and centering the globe on the spider 3, the neck l2 being undercut to provide an external flange E3 around the same seating on the spider 3 around the edge of the opening '5.

Surmounting the globe I0 and spaced a suitable distance above the same is a circular, domeshaped shield and reflector M of suitable light, thin metal, preferably highly polished on the under side thereof, and of a diameter to extend beyond the globe Ill for a short distance. Preferably the shield l4 has a flaring edge [5 to provide for easy access of insects into the space between the globe and shield. The shield I4 is supported by equidistantly spaced upright rods it having upper ends suitably secured, as by welding, not shown, to the rim I5 of the shield and lower ends removably inserted in lugs l1, l8, provided on the outer edge of the spider 3 and the upper edge of the column I, said lugs mating in superposed pairs.

Fitted in the upper end of the column l and suitably secured thereto with its upper edge spaced a short distance below said end is a short funnellike chute I9 terminating at the lower end thereof in an internally threaded socket 20.

Suspended in the column I from the socket20 is a cage-like sack 2| of any suitable reticulative material, such as wire screening, having an externally threaded neck 22 turned into the socket 20 whereby said sack may be detached from the socket by unscrewing at will. The neck 22 is of the requisite size and construction to receive thereon a closure cap, not shown, of the usual large-size Mason jar type, so that when the sack 2i is detached it may be closed by such a cap.

A flap 23 is hinged in the chute I9, as at 24, to depend therefrom into the neck 22 of the sack 2| and to normally obstruct escape of insects from the sack 2| upwardly into the chute, the arrangement of the flap 23 being such that it will be swung into unobstructing position under the ac-.

tion of air pressure directed downwardly intothe chute i9 and thereby permit insects to pass downwardly through the chute l9 into said sack.

A suction fan 25 is provided in the upper end of the column between the spider 3 and the chute l9, said fan being fixed on the armature shaft 26 of a small motor 21 supported in the top of the chute IS with its shaft 26 vertically disposed and by means of a bracket arm 28 extending from one side of said chute.

The electric light bulb 9 and the motor 27 may be wired in any suitable manner to a source of electrical energy, not shown, the wiring extending into the column I preferably by way of a single cable represented at 29.

An upper door 36 is provided in the side of the column I for access to the motor 21 to oil and service the same, and a lower door 3| for access to the interior of the column to detach and replace the sack 2|.

Referring to the use and operation of the described trap, the device is positioned at any street .intersection, or other location, where a signal light is required, the light 9 turned on and the motor 2! energized to start the suction fan 25. The light attracts the insects into close proximity to the globe Ill. The suction created by the fan 25 draws the insects into the top of the column on the one hand, downwardly through spider 3, and on the other hand into the top of the globe In and downwardly through the globe by way of the neck I2. The down draft created by the fan 25 swings the iiap 23 into unobstructing position relative to the neck 22 of sack 2| and blows the insects through said chute |9 into said sack. At any desired time the sack 2| may be removed through the door 3| by unscrewing the neck 22 from the socket 20, covered, in the manner already described, for transportation to a research bureau, or the like, and replaced by another sack 2|. Obviously, prior to removing sack 2| the motor 2! is stopped. As soon as said motor stops the flap 23 swings under the influence of gravity to obstruct escape of insects from the sack 2| back through the chute l9. By lifting the rods l6 out of the lugs l1, l8, said rods and the shield M may be removed for access to the globe li'i to clean the same. By lifting the globe ||J off the seat on the spider 3, the light bulb 9 may be uncovered for replacement when desired.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a tubular column adapted to be stood in upended position with the upper end thereof open, an electric light mounted in the upper end of the column in spaced relation to the edge of said open end and to attract insects to said end, a globe-like shade mounted on said upper end over said bulb, said globe being open at its top and bottom to permit the passage of insects therethrough into said end, the bottom of the globe being smaller than said end to provide an annular space between the same and the upper edge of the column for the en-' trance of insects therethrough into said column, and a suction producing device in said column for drawing insects into the column through said globe and space.

2. In a device of the class described, a tubular column adapted. to be stood in upended position with the upper end thereof open, an electric light mounted in the upper end of the column in spaced relation to the edge of said open end and to attract insects to said end, a globe-like shade mounted on said upper end over said bulb, said globe being open at its top and bottom to permit the passage of insects therethrough into said end, the bottom of the globe being smaller than said end to provide an annular space between the same and the upper edge of the column for the entrance of insects therethrough into said column, and a suction producing device in said column for drawing insects into the column through said globe and space, said device producing a down daft in the column, and a trap device in said column adapted to receive insects blown thereinto by said device.

3. In a device of the class described, a tubular column adapted to be stood in upended position .with the upper end thereof open, an electric light mounted in the upper end of the column in spaced relation to the edge of said open end and to attract insects to said end, a globe-like shade mounted on said upper end over said bulb, said globe being open at its top and bottom to permit the passage of insects therethrough into said end, the bottom of the globe being smaller than said end to provide an annular space between the same and the upper edge of the column for the entrance of insects therethrough into said column, and a suction producing device in said column for drawing insects into the column through said globe and space, said device producing a down draft in the column, and a trap device in said column adapted to receive insects blown thereinto by said device, said trap device being normally closed and opened by said down draft.

4. In a device of the class described, a tubular column adapted to be stood in upended position with the upper end thereof open, an 'electric light mounted in the upper end of the column in spaced relation to the edge of said open end and to attract insects to said end, a globe-like shade mounted on said upper end over said bulb, said globe being open at its top and bottom to permit the passage of insects therethrough into said end, the bottom of the globe being smaller than said end to provide an annular space between the same and the upper edge of the column for the entrance of insects therethrough into said column. and a suction producing device in said column for drawing insects into the column through said globe and space, said device producing a down draft in the column, and a trap device in said column adapted to receive insects blown thereinto by said down draft, said trap device being normally closed and opened by said down draft, and including an insect containing sack removably mounted in said column.

5. In a device of the class described, a tubular column adapted to be stood in upended position with the upper end thereof open, an electric light mounted in the upper end of the column in spaced relation to the edge of said open end and to attract insects to said end, a globe-like shade mounted on said upper end over said bulb, said globe being open at its top and bottom to permit the passage of insects therethrough into said end, the bottom of the globe being smaller than said end to provide an annular space between the same and the upper edge of the column for the entrance of insects therethrough into said column, a suction producing device in said column for drawing insects into the column through said globe and space, and a shield detachably mounted on the upper end of said column and surmounting said globe in spaced relation thereto to provide for entrance of insects between the same and said globe into the top of the latter.

6. In a device of the class described, a tubular column adapted to be stood in upended position with the upper end thereof open, an electric light mounted in the upper end of the column in spaced relation to the edge of said open end and to attract insects to said end, a globe-like shade mounted on said upper end over said bulb, said globe being open at its top and bottom to permit the passage of insects therethrough into said end,

- the bottom of the globe being smaller than said end to provide an annular space between the same globe into the top of the latter, and an annular outwardly flaring collar surrounding the upper end of said column and forming an upstanding rim around the edge of the same to facilitate drawing of insects into said space under operation of said suction producing means.

LOUIS J. L. RECTOR. 

